System for cleaning liquid dispensing lines



May 29, 1962 w. T. HlLTS SYSTEM FOR CLEANING LIQUID DISPENSING LINES Filed June 6, 1957 INVENTOR. Wz'] lz'clm TH 1'] 2 S gq'en i' 3,036,741 SYSTEM FOR CLEANING LIQUID DISPENSING LWES William T. Hilts, 453 SE. 37th Ave, Portland, Greg. Filed June 6, 1957, Ser. No. 664,103 2 Claims. (Cl. 222-448) This invention pertains to dispenser cleaning systems, and relates particularly to a novel system for cleaning a plurality of liquid dispensing lines simultaneously and with efliciency and speed.

The present invention has particular utility in the cleansing of the lines and dispensing heads utilized in the dispensing of draught beer from kegs. Sanitation codes require that these lines and heads be cleansed frequently to remove formations of yeast and beer stone, to prevent discoloration and souring of the beer. Because of the high cost of equipment heretofore utilized for this purpose, it has been a general practice among tavern operators to employ the services of an agency which caters to the periodic cleaning of beer lines. Since such service is performed on each line separately and involves considerable time and expense, it has also been a general practice to call for the cleansing service as infrequently as possible. The consequent result has been the dispensing of beer which is tainted in color and in taste, and this has been a significant factor in the popular switch to bottled beer.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a system by which the draught lines and heads of a plurality of liquid refreshment dispensers may be cleansed efficiently and with facility, either by a service agency or by the operator.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a system by which the cleansing of a plurality of dispenser lines and heads may be done efliciently with a minimum of liquid cleanser.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a system for cleansing a plurality of draught lines and heads, which system requires a minimum of time for assembly and disassembly, thereby reducing to a minimum the time during which the dispensing system in inoperative.

A still further important object of this invention is the provision of a cleansing system for cleaning draught lines and heads, which system is of simplified construction and operation, and is economical in cost, whereby to render practicable its purchase and use by the operators.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which the single FIGURE is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a dispensing system for a plurality of kegs of beer, each of which normally is connected in the manner indicated in dash lines, the same being shown in solid lines interconnected for cleansing the plurality of lines and heads by means of the method and system of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, there are illustrated three individual dispensing systems, each of which includes a keg mounted within a refrigerated cabinet 12, and a draught head 14 mounted atop the cabinet. A tap rod 16 is secured to the keg by means of a removable tap 18 which includes an air inlet 20 adapted to be connected through an air line 22 to a common conduit 24 which leads from a source of compressed air (not shown). The upper end of the tap rod is connected through a shutoff valve 26 to the lower end 28 of a flexible tube 30, the upper end of which is adapted to be connected to the inlet pipe 32 of the draught head.

The draught head is provided with an outlet 34 which ire is adapted for connection of a beer dispensing faucet 36, many types of which are well known in the art. The faucet is arranged to extend over a stepped section 38 of the cabinet top, said stepped section functioning as a drain, in well-known manner.

In accordance with the present invention, the plurality of individual dispensing units are interconnected in series in such manner as to provide for cleansing of all units simultaneously by the continuous re-cycling of a cleansing fluid. Thus in the embodiment illustrated, the flexi-ble tube 30 is disconnected from the tap rod assembly of the first keg 10 and connected by means of a coupling 4d and a length of flexible tubing 42 to the outlet 34 of the second draught head 14. The flexible tubing 30' of the second dispensing unit is disconnected from the tap rod of the second keg Ill" and the flexible tube 30" connected to the tap rod of the third keg 10" are interconnected by means of a coupling 44. The outlet 34 of the third draught head 14" is connected to one end of a flexible tube 46, the opposite end of which is connected to the outlet 48 of a small fluid pump 50.

In the embodiment illustrated, the fluid pump is of a very simplified and economical design. It comprises an electric motor 52 which may be connected through a conventional electrical cord and plug to any suitable source of electrical supply. The driven shaft 54 of the motor carries an impeller blade 56 at its terminal end. The impeller blade is confined within a housing 58 which is supported from the casing of the motor.

The pump is supported within a container 60 for the cleansing fluid 62. As illustrated in the drawing, the motor may be supported conveniently within the container by means of a hook 64 secured to the motor casing and adapted to overlie the upper edge of the container. The container is adapted to be supported upon the drain shelf of the refrigerated cabinet, below the dispensing faucet 36 on the first draught head.

.By virtue of the foregoing arrangement it will be apparent that a continuous re-cycling of cleansing fluid is afforded through the flexible tubes and draught heads of the plurality of dispensing units. Upon operation of the pump, the impeller blade forces the cleansing liquid through the flexible tube 46, into the outlet opening 34 of the third draught head 14'', thence through the flexible tubes 30 and 30 of the third and second units, respectively, through the second draught head 14 and its outlet opening 34', through the flexible tube 42, the flexible tube 30 of the first dispensing unit, through the inlet 32 of the first draught head and thence through the outlet 34 and dispensing faucet 36 thereof, into the container 60.

The foregoing arrangement affords many advantages: A series circuit for the plurality of flexible tubes and draught heads is afforded by the provision of only two additional flexible tubes 42 and 46 and two couplings 40 and 44. The system is assembled with speed and facility, simply by disconnecting the flexible tubes from their respective tap rods and interconnecting them in the manner described hereinbefore. The continuous re-cycling arrangement described affords maximum cleansing efliciency with a minimum of cleansing fluid, and with a minimum of cost in equipment and time of assembly and disassembly.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in the arrangement of parts, the manner of connection, and other details of construction may be made as desired. For example, the series circuit through the flexible tubes and draught heads may be derived by reversing the connections illustrated, or by interchanging connections in any manner desired. For example, tubes 30 and 30' and tubes 42 and 30 may be interconnected. The series arrangement may be derived from only one dispensing unit, or from more than the three illustrated.

In the even the dispensing faucets permit the reverse passage of fluid therethrough from the normal dispensing course, the faucets for the second and third dispenser heads may be retained thereon and the flexible tubes mounted upon the faucet ends in any desired sealing arrangement. However, in view of the fact that most dispenser faucets are provided with foam regulators which render impractical the reverse passage of fluid therethrough, the arrangement illustrated in preferred.

The foregoing and other modifications may be made as desired, and therefore it is to be understood that the arrangement described hereinbefore is primarily illustrative of the invention and is not to be considered as limiting the scope thereof.

Having now described my invention and the manner in which the same may be used, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a liquid dispensing system including a draught head having an inlet opening and a laterally projecting nozzle, support means for the draught head having a stepped section forming a lateral drain shelf disposed vertically below said nozzle, a conduit normally interconnecting the inlet opening and a source of liquid to be dispensed, portable means for cleaning said draught head and conduit comprising a container for cleansing fluid having an open top and being vertically dimensioned to be supported on said lateral drain shelf beneath said nozzle for receiving the effluent from the latter, pump means having hook means thereon by which the pump means is suspended from the top of the container for extension into said container and having a discharge opening, and tube means connected to the discharge opening for interconnecting said discharge opening and the inlet opening of the draught head through said conduit when disconnected from said source of liquid.

2. In a liquid dispensing system including a plurality of draught heads each having an inlet opening and a laterally projecting discharge nozzle and a conduit normally interconnecting the inlet opening and a source of liquid to be dispensed, and support means for the draught head having a stepped section forming a lateral drain shelf disposed vertically below said nozzle, portable means for cleaning said draught heads and conduits comprising a container for cleansing fluid having an open top and being vertically dimensioned to be supported on said lateral drain shelf beneath the nozzle of a first of said draught heads for receiving discharged cleansing fluid therefrom, pump means having hook means thereon by which the pump means is suspended from the top of the container for extension into said container and having a discharge opening, connector means including coupling means for interconnecting in a series arrangement the discharge opening of the pump means, the aforesaid conduits when disconnected from their respective sources of liquid, the inlet opening of the first draught head, and the inlets and nozzles of the succeeding draught heads to provide for the circulation of cleansing fluid from the container through the discharge opening of the pump means, thence through the inlets and nozzles and conduits of the said succeeding draught heads, thence through the conduit and inlet of the first draught head, and thence through the nozzle of the first draft head into the container.

References tilted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 720,613 Neely Feb. 17, 1903 1,056,696 Laidley Mar. 18, 1913 1,899,019 Deutsch Feb. 28, 1933 2,018,952 Erdrnann Oct. 29, 1935 2,078,740 Stahl Apr. 27, 1937 2,204,900 Lowry June 18, 1940 2,746,467 Dempsey May 22, 1956 2,779,052 Zebarth Jan. 29, 1957 2,800,134 Merritt July 23, 1957 

